[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 156 (2010), Part 15]
[House]
[Pages 22206-22211]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




INTERNATIONAL PROTECTING GIRLS BY PREVENTING CHILD MARRIAGE ACT OF 2010

  Mr. BERMAN. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the 
bill (S. 987) to protect girls in developing countries through the 
prevention of child marriage, and for other purposes.

[[Page 22207]]

  The Clerk read the title of the bill.
  The text of the bill is as follows:

                                 S. 987

       Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of 
     the United States of America in Congress assembled,

     SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

       This Act may be cited as the ``International Protecting 
     Girls by Preventing Child Marriage Act of 2010''.

     SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

       Congress makes the following findings:
       (1) Child marriage, also known as ``forced marriage'' or 
     ``early marriage'', is a harmful traditional practice that 
     deprives girls of their dignity and human rights.
       (2) Child marriage as a traditional practice, as well as 
     through coercion or force, is a violation of article 16 of 
     the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, which states, 
     ``Marriage shall be entered into only with the free and full 
     consent of intending spouses''.
       (3) According to the United Nations Children's Fund 
     (UNICEF), an estimated 60,000,000 girls in developing 
     countries now ages 20 through 24 were married under the age 
     of 18, and if present trends continue more than 100,000,000 
     more girls in developing countries will be married as 
     children over the next decade, according to the Population 
     Council.
       (4) Between \1/2\ and \3/4\ of all girls are married before 
     the age of 18 in Niger, Chad, Mali, Bangladesh, Guinea, the 
     Central African Republic, Mozambique, Burkina Faso, and 
     Nepal, according to Demographic Health Survey data.
       (5) Factors perpetuating child marriage include poverty, a 
     lack of educational or employment opportunities for girls, 
     parental concerns to ensure sexual relations within marriage, 
     the dowry system, and the perceived lack of value of girls.
       (6) Child marriage has negative effects on the health of 
     girls, including significantly increased risk of maternal 
     death and morbidity, infant mortality and morbidity, 
     obstetric fistula, and sexually transmitted diseases, 
     including HIV/AIDS.
       (7) According to the United States Agency for International 
     Development (USAID), increasing the age at first birth for a 
     woman will increase her chances of survival. Currently, 
     pregnancy and childbirth complications are the leading cause 
     of death for women 15 to 19 years old in developing 
     countries.
       (8) Most countries with high rates of child marriage have a 
     legally established minimum age of marriage, yet child 
     marriage persists due to strong traditional norms and the 
     failure to enforce existing laws.
       (9) Secretary of State Hillary Clinton has stated that 
     child marriage is ``a clear and unacceptable violation of 
     human rights'', and that ``the Department of State 
     categorically denounces all cases of child marriage as child 
     abuse''.
       (10) According to an International Center for Research on 
     Women analysis of Demographic and Health Survey data, areas 
     or regions in developing countries in which 40 percent or 
     more of girls under the age of 18 are married are considered 
     high-prevalence areas for child marriage.
       (11) Investments in girls' schooling, creating safe 
     community spaces for girls, and programs for skills building 
     for out-of-school girls are all effective and demonstrated 
     strategies for preventing child marriage and creating a 
     pathway to empower girls by addressing conditions of poverty, 
     low status, and norms that contribute to child marriage.

     SEC. 3. CHILD MARRIAGE DEFINED.

       In this Act, the term ``child marriage'' means the marriage 
     of a girl or boy, not yet the minimum age for marriage 
     stipulated in law in the country in which the girl or boy is 
     a resident or, where there is no such law, under the age of 
     18.

     SEC. 4. SENSE OF CONGRESS.

       It is the sense of Congress that--
       (1) child marriage is a violation of human rights, and the 
     prevention and elimination of child marriage should be a 
     foreign policy goal of the United States;
       (2) the practice of child marriage undermines United States 
     investments in foreign assistance to promote education and 
     skills building for girls, reduce maternal and child 
     mortality, reduce maternal illness, halt the transmission of 
     HIV/AIDS, prevent gender-based violence, and reduce poverty; 
     and
       (3) expanding educational opportunities for girls, economic 
     opportunities for women, and reducing maternal and child 
     mortality are critical to achieving the Millennium 
     Development Goals and the global health and development 
     objectives of the United States, including efforts to prevent 
     HIV/AIDS.

     SEC. 5. STRATEGY TO PREVENT CHILD MARRIAGE IN DEVELOPING 
                   COUNTRIES.

       (a) Assistance Authorized.--
       (1) In general.--The President is authorized to provide 
     assistance, including through multilateral, nongovernmental, 
     and faith-based organizations, to prevent the incidence of 
     child marriage in developing countries through the promotion 
     of educational, health, economic, social, and legal 
     empowerment of girls and women.
       (2) Priority.--In providing assistance authorized under 
     paragraph (1), the President shall give priority to--
       (A) areas or regions in developing countries in which 40 
     percent or more of girls under the age of 18 are married; and
       (B) activities to--
       (i) expand and replicate existing community-based programs 
     that are successful in preventing the incidence of child 
     marriage;
       (ii) establish pilot projects to prevent child marriage; 
     and
       (iii) share evaluations of successful programs, program 
     designs, experiences, and lessons.
       (b) Strategy Required.--
       (1) In general.--The President shall establish a multi-year 
     strategy to prevent child marriage and promote the 
     empowerment of girls at risk of child marriage in developing 
     countries, which should address the unique needs, 
     vulnerabilities, and potential of girls under age 18 in 
     developing countries.
       (2) Consultation.--In establishing the strategy required by 
     paragraph (1), the President shall consult with Congress, 
     relevant Federal departments and agencies, multilateral 
     organizations, and representatives of civil society.
       (3) Elements.--The strategy required by paragraph (1) 
     shall--
       (A) focus on areas in developing countries with high 
     prevalence of child marriage;
       (B) encompass diplomatic initiatives between the United 
     States and governments of developing countries, with 
     attention to human rights, legal reforms, and the rule of 
     law;
       (C) encompass programmatic initiatives in the areas of 
     education, health, income generation, changing social norms, 
     human rights, and democracy building; and
       (D) be submitted to Congress not later than one year after 
     the date of the enactment of this Act.
       (c) Report.--Not later than three years after the date of 
     the enactment of this Act, the President should submit to 
     Congress a report that includes--
       (1) a description of the implementation of the strategy 
     required by subsection (b);
       (2) examples of best practices or programs to prevent child 
     marriage in developing countries that could be replicated; 
     and
       (3) an assessment, including data disaggregated by age and 
     sex to the extent possible, of current United States funded 
     efforts to specifically prevent child marriage in developing 
     countries.
       (d) Coordination.--Assistance authorized under subsection 
     (a) shall be integrated with existing United States 
     development programs.
       (e) Activities Supported.--Assistance authorized under 
     subsection (a) may be made available for activities in the 
     areas of education, health, income generation, agriculture 
     development, legal rights, democracy building, and human 
     rights, including--
       (1) support for community-based activities that encourage 
     community members to address beliefs or practices that 
     promote child marriage and to educate parents, community 
     leaders, religious leaders, and adolescents of the health 
     risks associated with child marriage and the benefits for 
     adolescents, especially girls, of access to education, health 
     care, livelihood skills, microfinance, and savings programs;
       (2) support for activities to educate girls in primary and 
     secondary school at the appropriate age and keeping them in 
     age-appropriate grade levels through adolescence;
       (3) support for activities to reduce education fees and 
     enhance safe and supportive conditions in primary and 
     secondary schools to meet the needs of girls, including--
       (A) access to water and suitable hygiene facilities, 
     including separate lavatories and latrines for girls;
       (B) assignment of female teachers;
       (C) safe routes to and from school; and
       (D) eliminating sexual harassment and other forms of 
     violence and coercion;
       (4) support for activities that allow adolescent girls to 
     access health care services and proper nutrition, which is 
     essential to both their school performance and their economic 
     productivity;
       (5) assistance to train adolescent girls and their parents 
     in financial literacy and access economic opportunities, 
     including livelihood skills, savings, microfinance, and 
     small-enterprise development;
       (6) support for education, including through community and 
     faith-based organizations and youth programs, that helps 
     remove gender stereotypes and the bias against girls used to 
     justify child marriage, especially efforts targeted at men 
     and boys, promotes zero tolerance for violence, and promotes 
     gender equality, which in turn help to increase the perceived 
     value of girls;
       (7) assistance to create peer support and female mentoring 
     networks and safe social spaces specifically for girls; and
       (8) support for local advocacy work to provide legal 
     literacy programs at the community level to ensure that 
     governments and law enforcement officials are meeting their 
     obligations to prevent child and forced marriage.

     SEC. 6. RESEARCH AND DATA.

       It is the sense of Congress that the President and all 
     relevant agencies should, as part of their ongoing research 
     and data collection activities--
       (1) collect and make available data on the incidence of 
     child marriage in countries that receive foreign or 
     development assistance from the United States where the 
     practice of child marriage is prevalent; and

[[Page 22208]]

       (2) collect and make available data on the impact of the 
     incidence of child marriage and the age at marriage on 
     progress in meeting key development goals.

     SEC. 7. DEPARTMENT OF STATE'S COUNTRY REPORTS ON HUMAN RIGHTS 
                   PRACTICES.

       The Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 is amended--
       (1) in section 116 (22 U.S.C. 2151n), by adding at the end 
     the following new subsection:
       ``(g) The report required by subsection (d) shall include, 
     for each country in which child marriage is prevalent, a 
     description of the status of the practice of child marriage 
     in such country. In this subsection, the term `child 
     marriage' means the marriage of a girl or boy, not yet the 
     minimum age for marriage stipulated in law or under the age 
     of 18 if no such law exists, in the country in which such 
     girl or boy is a resident.''; and
       (2) in section 502B (22 U.S.C. 2304), by adding at the end 
     the following new subsection:
       ``(i) The report required by subsection (b) shall include, 
     for each country in which child marriage is prevalent, a 
     description of the status of the practice of child marriage 
     in such country. In this subsection, the term `child 
     marriage' means the marriage of a girl or boy, not yet the 
     minimum age for marriage stipulated in law or under the age 
     of 18 if no such law exists, in the country in which such 
     girl or boy is a resident.''.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from 
California (Mr. Berman) and the gentleman from Indiana (Mr. Burton) 
each will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from California.


                             General Leave

  Mr. BERMAN. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members 
have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and include 
extraneous material on the bill under consideration.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from California?
  There was no objection.
  Mr. BERMAN. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of S. 987, the 
International Protecting Girls by Preventing Child Marriage Act of 2010 
and yield myself as much time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, this 
legislation, S. 987, is the corresponding legislation to legislation 
introduced by our colleague from Minnesota (Ms. McCollum), H.R. 2103.
  Child marriage is one of the most harmful practices affecting girls 
in the developing world today. Globally, more than 60 million girls 
under the age of 18, many only 12 or 13, are married, usually to men 
more than twice or three times their age. Between one-half and three-
fourths of all girls are married before the age of 18 in countries such 
as Chad, Mali, Bangladesh, and Nepal. Should these numbers remain 
consistent in the next 10 years, there will be 25,000 new child brides 
every day.
  Marrying at such a young age comes at a terrible cost for these 
girls--girls who, in most developed countries, would otherwise still be 
happily playing sports and singing in their school choir. These young 
girls are at an increased risk for health problems like HIV/AIDS due to 
the sexual history of their older partners. In addition, young girls 
are at risk of complications during pregnancy and childbirth. In fact, 
childbirth complications are the leading cause of death for women 15 to 
19 years old in developing countries.
  Not only are child brides at a higher risk for disease and death 
during childbirth, they are frequently victims of domestic abuse. 
Premature marriage deprives girls of their dignity and dooms these 
girls to a life of poverty and dependence. It is for these reasons, and 
many more, that child marriage is categorized as both child abuse and a 
violation of human rights.
  Poverty and a lack of education are both key contributing factors to 
why young women fall victim to child marriages. Girls who live in 
impoverished homes are twice as likely to marry under 18, and 60 
percent of girls involved in child marriages have no education.
  Families struck by poverty cannot afford to keep their daughters in 
school and often do not have the resources to provide for their 
daughters at all. Marrying off female children is often the only 
alternative for struggling families. With an often false promise of a 
better life for their daughters, parents marry their girls off at an 
all-too-early age.
  However, there are undoubtedly better alternatives. This bill before 
us seeks to eliminate the harmful practice of child marriage overseas. 
It requires an integrated, strategic approach by our government to 
reduce the incidence of child marriage by authorizing the President to 
provide assistance through multilateral, nongovernmental, and faith-
based organizations to prevent the incidence of child marriage and to 
promote the educational, health, economic, social, and legal 
empowerment of girls and women. It also requires the President to 
establish a multiyear strategy in developing countries and promote the 
empowerment of girls at risk of child marriage.
  Mr. Speaker, we need to invest in these young girls and provide safe 
spaces where they can evolve socially and become self-sufficient. 
Empowering young girls through education can help prevent child 
marriages and lead to a brighter and healthier future for millions 
worldwide.
  I want to thank Representatives McCollum and Crenshaw for their 
leadership on this bill, and I encourage my colleagues to support the 
bill, which will be an invaluable investment in the future of millions 
of girls around the world.
  Mr. Speaker, I am now pleased to yield 7 minutes to the gentlelady 
from Minnesota (Ms. McCollum), the author, along with Congressman 
Crenshaw, of the corresponding House legislation.
  Ms. McCOLLUM. Mr. Speaker, every year in the world's poorest 
countries, millions of girls are forced into marriage. Girls as young 
as age 8, but often 13, 14, and 15 years old, are sold by impoverished 
parents to settle debts or they are given away to become the wives of 
men who are years or even decades older. For a young girl, a child, to 
be forced into marriage to an adult man can only be described as a life 
of slavery, child molestation, and servitude. This is not marriage. It 
is a violation of the most basic human rights of a child.
  On the floor today is S. 987, the International Protecting Girls by 
Preventing Child Marriage Act, a bill that was passed unanimously in 
the United States Senate. Let me repeat. This bill passed unanimously. 
Every Republican and every Democrat in the Senate supported it.
  I want to commend Senators Richard Durbin and Olympia Snowe, along 
with the other bipartisan cosponsors, for their tremendous efforts to 
protect vulnerable girls.
  It is my honor to be the sponsor of the companion bill in the House, 
and I want to thank my Republican colleagues, Mr. Crenshaw, Mr. 
LaTourette, Mr. Schock, and Mr. Latham, for their bipartisan support 
for ending child marriage.
  According to UNICEF, child marriage is ``the most prevalent form of 
sexual abuse and exploitation of girls.'' One in every seven girls in 
the developing world is forced into marriage sometime before the age of 
15, millions of girls every year.
  A 13-year-old that is forced into marriage will not go to school. She 
is most certainly guaranteed to be a victim of domestic violence. She 
is condemned to a lifetime of poverty, and she is more likely to die or 
be disabled in childbirth, and because she is a child, her infant is 
more likely to die.
  HIV infection, maternal death, child death, gender-based violence, 
and extreme poverty are all deadly obstacles to development that 
destroys families, weakens communities, and destabilizes countries. 
Child marriage contributes to all of these destructive problems.
  The photo I have with me was taken by a brilliant photojournalist, 
Stephanie Sinclair, who documented child marriage in Afghanistan. This 
11-year-old girl in this photo, Ghulam, is not seated with her 
grandfather. The man next to this child is her husband-to-be. This 
little girl's father gave her away to be married because he was too 
poor to care for her. Ghulam's value to her husband comes from her 
ability to work in the field, care for animals, and because she's a 
virgin. In this country, a man treating an 11-year-old as his wife 
would be imprisoned as a sexual

[[Page 22209]]

predator, a pedophile. In Afghanistan, an 11-year-old's abuser is her 
husband.

                              {time}  1950

  It does not matter where in this world an 11-year-old girl is; she 
should never be anyone's wife. Today we have an opportunity to put the 
lives of vulnerable girls ahead of what is all too common at times 
partisan political games that take place in this House. Today we can 
show our constituents in the world that the life of every girl has 
value and limitless potential if they can grow up free from 
exploitation.
  It is my firm belief that girls, girls everywhere--in America, in 
Ethiopia, in Afghanistan--deserve the right to enter adulthood with the 
freedom to decide for themselves who their husband will be. A girl is 
not a commodity to be traded. She is a precious member of a community 
who needs to be valued and allowed to grow into adulthood.
  This Congress and the American people spend billions of tax dollars 
on foreign assistance. The U.S. has a direct interest and an 
opportunity to ensure that girls in the developing world can grow up to 
be healthy, productive, contributing members of their communities and 
their countries.
  Not only do girls deserve the right to choose their future husband; 
they deserve the opportunity to get an education, to contribute their 
skills and their talents to develop their countries.
  This legislation supports and expands the successful models already 
in place for promoting girls' education, protecting the human rights of 
girls, and eliminating the practice of child marriage. This bill 
authorizes existing State Department funds to be used to implement a 
strategy to protect girls from being forced into marriage. This bill 
does not spend one additional dollar that is not already appropriated 
by Congress for health, education, democracy, or other development 
activities.
  Earlier this week, I was honored to receive a letter from Archbishop 
Desmond Tutu of South Africa, urging the House to pass S. 987. The 
letter says: ``Child marriage is a harmful practice that treats young 
girls as property, stops their education, and robs them of their 
childhood and dignity.'' The archbishop goes on: ``We thank you for 
your attention and dedication to passing this bill before Congress 
adjourns. By doing so, you may help make the difference between lives 
of opportunity or enslavement for millions of young girls in the 
developing world.''
  Mr. Speaker, child marriage is sanctioned sexual abuse that destroys 
girls' lives. The choice before this Congress is to do nothing as young 
girls and children continue to be enslaved, raped, and condemned to a 
life of abuse and poverty; or we can join the U.S. Senate and vote to 
pass this legislation and have the United States stand with millions of 
girls today and tomorrow who seek nothing more than the freedom, the 
opportunity, and the time to be allowed to be children and grow into 
adulthood without being forced into marriage.
  I thank Chairman Berman for his support, and I urge all my colleagues 
to vote to protect millions of girls in this world from sexual abuse.

                                        The Elders Foundation,

                                    London, UK, December 13, 2010.
     Hon. Betty McCollum,
     Longworth House Office Building,
     Washington, DC.
     Hon. Ander Crenshaw,
     Cannon House Office Building,
     Washington, DC.
       Dear Representatives McCollum and Crenshaw: As Chair of The 
     Elders, I am writing to thank you for your leadership and 
     support of the International Protecting Girls by Preventing 
     Child Marriage Act (S. 987 and H.R. 2103). The Senate passed 
     the bill by unanimous consent on 1 December 2010, and we now 
     encourage the House of Representatives to pass this important 
     measure.
       As an independent group of global leaders, brought together 
     by Nelson Mandela, we seek to address major causes of human 
     suffering and promote the shared interests of humanity. Part 
     of that effort involves speaking out about gender 
     discrimination and the oppression of girls and women, issues 
     we know many members of the House care about as well.
       Child marriage is a harmful practice that treats young 
     girls as property, stops their education and robs them of 
     their childhood and dignity. Child brides are at far greater 
     risk of dying in childbirth, while their children are also 
     less likely to survive infancy than the children of older 
     mothers. Often married to much older men, child brides are 
     more vulnerable than their unmarried peers to sexually 
     transmitted diseases including HIV and AIDS. There is 
     compelling evidence that child marriage is a significant 
     brake on the achievement of no less than six of the eight 
     Millennium Development Goals. UNICEF estimates that in 
     developing countries, 60 million girls now aged 20-24 were 
     married under the age of 18. That number is likely to 
     increase by 100 million over the next decade if these trends 
     continue.
       In our recent Washington Post op-ed, President Mary 
     Robinson and I told the story of Dhaki, a 13-year-old girl 
     from Ethiopia who was married to a man eleven years her 
     senior. Her husband regularly forced himself upon her. Her 
     cries were ignored by neighbours who shunned her for not 
     respecting the wishes of her husband. Thanks to a local 
     development program, Dhaki has since been freed from this 
     torture and is continuing her education.
       My fellow Elders and I strongly believe that the 
     International Protecting Girls by Preventing Child Marriage 
     Act can provide assistance to developing countries to help 
     them reduce child marriage rates and promote the empowerment 
     of girls and women worldwide. It will help innocent girls 
     like Dhaki who were trapped in abusive, forced marriages that 
     amount to a modern version of slavery. Please consider this 
     letter a public endorsement of this legislation by The 
     Elders.
       We thank you for your attention and dedication to passing 
     this bill before Congress adjourns. By doing so, you may help 
     make the difference between lives of opportunity or 
     enslavement for millions of young girls in the developing 
     world.
           God Bless You.
                                          Archbishop Desmond Tutu,
                                                            Chair.

  Mr. BURTON of Indiana. I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. BERMAN. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to yield 2 minutes to the 
gentleman from Washington (Mr. McDermott).
  Mr. McDERMOTT. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of the 
International Protecting Girls By Preventing Child Marriage Act.
  Recently, Nelson Mandela asked a group of the world's most thoughtful 
and experienced political and moral leaders to identify the largest 
issues fueling humanitarian problems, and forced child marriage is at 
the top of the list. Child marriage denies girls the chance to get a 
full education. Every country in the world that has advanced has 
educated their women as the first step. Child marriage prevents girls 
from contributing to their communities in the fullest way possible, and 
it contributes to the health crisis among women and babies in countries 
around the world.
  In the next 10 years, it's estimated that over 100 million young 
girls will be forcibly married if we don't act, and the policy of the 
United States right now is to write more reports. With this bill, we 
can make a huge difference with no additional taxpayer moneys being 
spent. This bill gives clear guidelines on how already-appropriated 
moneys are to be spent in countries with the greatest problems, in ways 
that are culturally sensitive and community-based. It requires the 
State Department to track the issue annually as part of our human 
rights considerations.
  Mr. Speaker, this bill will save lives and save dreams, and I urge my 
colleagues on both sides of the aisle to support it.
  Mr. BURTON of Indiana. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may 
consume.
  I rise, as do others on our side of the aisle today, as a supporter 
of efforts to combat child marriage in developing countries but in 
opposition to the Senate bill that we are considering today. I want you 
to know, before I make all my remarks, that I have actually seen forced 
child marriages in countries like Saudi Arabia firsthand. And it is a 
horrible thing, and I am very supportive of stopping that practice.
  It's truly distressing to know that there still are countries where 
underage girls, like in Saudi Arabia, are compelled to marry much older 
men and lose their innocence and hope forever. The health of such young 
girls can suffer, as can their future opportunities to lead productive 
lives filled with normal social and economic opportunities, lives in 
which they can

[[Page 22210]]

contribute with their full potential to their societies and their 
economies.
  Concern over this problem is not a partisan issue. For example, in 
response to the plight of such young women and to ensure that the 
prevention of child marriage is an integral part of U.S. efforts to 
promote respect for fundamental universally recognized human rights, in 
May of last year, Ranking Member Ros-Lehtinen of the Foreign Affairs 
Committee expressly included pertinent language in the Republican 
alternative version for the State Department authorization bill, H.R. 
2475.
  However, much has changed in our domestic fiscal environment over the 
course of the last 2 years. Here at home, we have Americans who are 
losing their houses, their homes, State and local governments that are 
on the verge of bankruptcy, cities that are reducing their police and 
firefighting forces, an economy that is close to stalling due to lack 
of growth, and I could go on and on. But in light of all these facts, 
even the provision that had been included in the Republican proposal, 
or the authorization of State Department operations, last year would 
now need to be revised to cut spending and address the budgetary 
challenges that we face.
  Regrettably, the bill adopted by the Senate that we are considering 
today does not reflect the current fiscal realities. The Congressional 
Budget Office has stated that the manner in which the provisions of 
this bill are drafted would result in $108 million of authorized 
funding and $67 million in actual outlays over the next few years, 
which is different than what we have heard here on the floor.

                              {time}  2000

  Further, despite inquiries to the Congressional Research Service and, 
through CRS, the State Department and Agency for International 
Development, there is apparently no available confirmed figure on 
exactly how much aid the United States already provides to fight child 
marriage overseas.
  We do know that such U.S. assistance programs, programs that 
specifically include the prevention of child marriage as an objective, 
are already underway. But no one can tell us how much taxpayer funding 
is already being used to fight child marriage in developing countries.
  To achieve the policy objectives we seek, while taking into account 
the economic challenges and limitations our Nation, our constituents 
are facing, this week Congresswoman Ros-Lehtinen introduced a bill on 
the prevention of child marriage which enjoys the support of several of 
our colleagues in this House. That bill reflects modifications that 
Ranking Member Ros-Lehtinen had sought to make to the Senate text 
before it came to the floor, but they were not accepted. Instead of the 
$67 million in outlays over the next 5 years in the Senate text before 
us, the provisions of that bill would have resulted in less than $1 
million in potential costs.
  The Republican alternative proposed the following:
  First, we make it clear that child marriage is a violation of human 
rights and that its prevention should be a goal of U.S. foreign policy;
  Second, since there's currently no legislative requirement for a U.S. 
strategy for assistance to prevent child marriage, we require the 
creation of such a multiyear strategy;
  Third, we require a report within 1 year that would inform us on the 
progress of the required strategy and, perhaps more important, give us 
a comprehensive assessment of what we already are doing and funding in 
the effort to fight child marriage; and
  Finally, that the practice of child marriage in other countries be 
reported each year as part of the annual Human Rights Report, and that 
the practice of child marriage also be reported for those countries 
that are potential recipients of U.S. security assistance.
  I believe the alternative approach that was proposed would have 
achieved the goals we desire without adding to our economic burdens. 
Regrettably, we are faced with S. 987 and its price tag of $67 million.
  Mr. Speaker, having outlined my concerns with the bill before us 
today, I ask my colleagues to vote ``no'' on this bill.
  I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. BERMAN. Mr. Speaker, I assume the gentleman from Indiana has no 
further speakers.
  Mr. BURTON of Indiana. I have no further speakers, but I will add one 
more comment if I may, and that is: Make no mistake about it----
  Mr. BERMAN. I yield to the gentleman from Indiana.
  Mr. BURTON of Indiana. Well, I have not yielded my time, so I will 
use my time. I will be happy to use your time.
  Mr. BERMAN. I would yield the gentleman such time as he may consume, 
up to a point, everything except 1 minute.
  Mr. BURTON of Indiana. I won't take the full minute. Thank you, Mr. 
Chairman.
  Let me just say that I don't want anyone to think we're not very 
sympathetic to the problem. We are, but the fiscal problems we face in 
this country right now are of paramount concern to all of us. And for 
that reason, we must bring this to a vote, and that's the reason why I 
ask for it.
  Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. BERMAN. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. 
And I do it simply in the context of urging my colleagues to vote for 
this legislation; to point out, number 1, that this is not an 
entitlement program. This is an authorization. It is not an 
appropriation.
  To the extent, after we pass this legislation and it is signed into 
law, that the statement takes its appropriated resources and uses some 
of those resources to develop the strategic plan to work with these 
organizations for what the gentleman himself concedes is a very 
important cause, those resources will come from some other form of 
resources. They will not be additional spending unless there is an 
appropriation. And this bill is not an appropriations bill; it is an 
authorization bill.
  I urge my colleagues to support it. It's a critical issue.
  Ms. SLAUGHTER. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of the 
International Protecting Girls by Preventing Child Marriage Act.
  Child marriage is an international epidemic, with 100 million girls 
projected to marry in the next decade.
  Not only do these young girls lose the opportunity to achieve their 
full potential, but they also are at risk for serious health 
consequences. Childbirth is five times more deadly for girls under 15 
than for women in their twenties, and pregnancy is the most common 
cause of death for girls between the age of 15 and 19.
  HIV/AIDS is another serious risk for child brides, as they frequently 
marry more sexually experienced men. In many countries in sub-Saharan 
Africa, girls under the age of 19 are more than twice as likely to 
contract HIV as boys of the same age.
  Young girls frequently experience trauma and violence in these 
marriages.
  A front page article in The New York Times on November 7, 2010 told 
the story of Farzana, a young girl living in Afghanistan.
  Although she dreamed of being a teacher, Farzana was engaged at age 8 
and married four years later. Her husband beat her for the first time 
on her wedding day, and the beatings continued for four years. She was 
forbidden to see her mother.
  Farzana tells us, ``I thought of running away from that house, but 
then I thought: what will happen to the name of my family? No one in 
our family has asked for divorce. So how can I be the first?''
  Left with few choices, Farzana set herself on fire. After burning 
half her body, she lived--but only after 57 days in the hospital and 
multiple surgeries.
  Farzana's dream of becoming a teacher was killed by a premature 
marriage.
  She--and millions of others like her--deserve better.
  The bill that we are considering today will help realize the dreams 
of many young girls like Farzana by expanding assistance to prevent 
child marriage and empower girls around the world.
  Young girls everywhere deserve the opportunity to make their own 
decisions and determine their own destiny.
  Mr. JOHNSON of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of S. 
987, legislation that would authorize the United States to provide 
assistance for the prevention of child marriage

[[Page 22211]]

in the developing world. Regrettably, child marriage continues to be an 
all-too-common practice in many third-world countries. We as a nation 
have a moral obligation to do all that we can to assist with the 
prevention of this deplorable custom. Marrying before puberty or during 
early to mid-adolescence places young women in dire circumstances--
where they face severe health risks in pregnancy and childbirth, where 
they are trapped in positions of complete dependence and where they are 
subjected to verbal and physical abuse at the hands of their spouses. 
It is imperative for the United States to take a strong stance against 
this practice by investing in efforts to prevent child marriage and 
empower susceptible young women in these developing nations.
  Mr. CROWLEY. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to support the International 
Protecting Girls by Preventing Child Marriage Act of 2010.
  This bill is a measure that represents the best of American foreign 
policy. It addresses an abuse that I think all of us agree should not 
happen in the 21st century.
  Girls should have the chance to enjoy their childhood in the peace 
and security of their own families--not be married off to the highest 
bidder, or anyone else for that matter.
  And, research shows that this is not just about girls--while the vast 
majority of those trapped in child marriage are girls, boys too are 
among the victims.
  This is a moral issue. By passing this bill, we have a chance to 
state clearly and on the record that child marriage is a human rights 
abuse.
  But, this is not only a moral issue--it is also about improving 
health, reducing maternal mortality, slowing the spread of HIV/AIDS and 
reducing poverty.
  Study after study has shown that when we do these things, we not only 
help create a safer world for women and children, but we also help 
improve the security of the United States.
  It is true that there may be some very minor costs associated with 
this bill. However, they pale in comparison to our obligation to do 
what is right.
  I want to thank my colleague from Minnesota Betty McCollum and 
Senator Dick Durbin from Illinois for leading this effort. Both of them 
have been indefatigable champions of the rights of women and children 
and we wouldn't be considering this bill today without them.
  I urge all of my colleagues to support the International Protecting 
Girls by Preventing Child Marriage Act.
  Ms. SCHAKOWSKY. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of S. 
987, the International Protecting Girls by Preventing Child Marriage 
Act. I'd like to thank Congresswoman McCollum and Senator Durbin for 
introducing this legislation and for their longstanding leadership on 
this issue.
  Child marriage is a true tragedy, as well as a serious human rights 
violation. Sixty million girls worldwide, some as young as eight years 
old, have been forced into early marriage. Child brides have little, if 
any, control over their lives, their bodies, and their futures. Not 
only do girls forced into early marriage lose the opportunity to attend 
school and develop as children, they also face serious health 
consequences and substantially higher rates of domestic violence.
  Girls who are married at a young age are also typically forced into 
early sexual activity, but their bodies are not physically suited for 
giving birth. According to the International Center for Research on 
Women, pregnancy is the leading cause of death worldwide for girls aged 
15-19.
  Child marriage is often linked to a lack of education, opportunity, 
and resources. Girls from poor households are far more likely to be 
given away as child brides; some families view it as a way to guarantee 
their daughters' future, while others see girls as an economic 
liability. Either way, studies have shown that girls who are married 
before 18 are more likely to remain poor and less likely to receive 
education.
  We need to do much more to prevent child marriage. I am an original 
cosponsor of the International Protecting Girls by Preventing Child 
Marriage Act, which makes preventing child marriage an international 
priority for the U.S. Government. This legislation requires the State 
Department, as part of their annual Country Reports on Human Rights, to 
report on countries with high rates of child marriage in their annual, 
and the White House to create an action plan on combating child 
marriage.
  Mr. Speaker, by passing this legislation, we take an important step 
toward ending child marriage around the world, and ensuring that all 
girls have the opportunity to learn and grow as children. I urge my 
colleagues to join me in supporting this legislation.
  Mr. CONYERS. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of S. 987, the 
International Protecting Girls by Preventing Child Marriage Act. This 
important legislation will ensure a healthy life for young women across 
the globe by recognizing child marriage as a human rights violation and 
developing a comprehensive strategy that will include preventive 
approaches to ending the harmful practice of child marriage.
  Child marriage, also known as ``forced marriage'' is a common 
tradition in poor and rural communities. Poverty is a common thread in 
developing countries that carry this tradition of forced marriages. 
Limited family resources result in families offering their daughters in 
marriage with the hope of securing a better future and thus, escaping 
the trap of poverty. However, millions of girls who marry young are 
instead stripped of their childhood and deprived of their basic human 
rights as well as opportunities for education, employment and health. 
Moreover, they are subjected to extreme poverty, hard labor, domestic 
violence and maternal health risks that often ultimately lead to their 
death. In fact, child marriage is the leading cause of death for girls 
ages 15 to 19 in developing countries.
  These facts are troubling and daunting. Nevertheless, we have the 
resources to change and eradicate this practice by supporting 
comprehensive policies that will advance the necessary education and 
health awareness that will cause these communities to question this 
tradition's consequences. According to the United Nations Children Fund 
(UNICEF), an estimated 60 million girls in developing countries, now 
ages 20 to 24, were married under the age of 18. If present trends 
continue, more than one hundred million more girls in developing 
countries will be married as children over the next decade, according 
to the Population Council. This is a dangerous trend that the world 
cannot allow to continue or endure.
  It is important that the United States support these voiceless young 
girls and recognize child marriage as a human rights violation. This 
issue must be addressed, monitored, and prevented. The way of doing 
this is by passing this bill. I urge all of my colleagues to support 
vote ``yes.''
  Mr. BERMAN. I yield back the balance of my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the 
gentleman from California (Mr. Berman) that the House suspend the rules 
and pass the bill, S. 987.
  The question was taken.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. In the opinion of the Chair, two-thirds 
being in the affirmative, the ayes have it.
  Mr. BURTON of Indiana. Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and 
nays.
  The yeas and nays were ordered.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to clause 8 of rule XX and the 
Chair's prior announcement, further proceedings on this motion will be 
postponed.

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